Christian Petzold (born 1960) is a German film director and screenwriter. Petzold is part of the 21st century Berlin School film movement. His films have received international recognition and acclaim. He is known for his frequent collaborations with actresses Nina Hoss and Paula Beer. Petzold won the Silver Bear for Best Director for his film Barbara (2012) at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival.

Petzold started his career with his "Ghosts Trilogy" which consist of the films The State I Am In (2000), Ghosts (2005), and Yella (2007). He has earned further acclaim directing Jerichow (2008), Barbara (2012), Phoenix (2014), Transit (2018), Undine (2020), and Afire (2023).

Early life and education Born in Hilden and raised in Haan, where he graduated from high school in 1979, Petzold fulfilled his military civil service in a small cinema club of a local YMCA, showing films to troubled adolescents.Interview on DVD Die innere Sicherheit From 1981 on he lived in Berlin, where he studied theatre and German studies at the Free University of Berlin. From 1988 to 1994, he studied film at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin (dffb) where he studied with mentors who "included filmmakers, media artists, and media theorists Harun Farocki and Hartmut Bitomsky, who are both known for their non-narrative films, video work, and film installations in galleries and museums." While at dffb, Petzold appeared in Thomas Arslan's short experimental film 19 Porträts (1990), a 16-millimeter black-and-white film in the tradition of Andy Warhol's Screen Tests.

Career

His first film was Pilotinnen, which he directed for his film school graduation in 1995. While The State I Am In (German: Die innere Sicherheit) (2000) was his first feature film, also noting his first collaboration with Harun Farocki. In 2005, his film Gespenster was presented at the Berlin International Film Festival, as was his 2007 film Yella. Petzold writes his own screenplays, and often collaborated with Harun Farocki early in his career. As his former teacher at dffb, Farocki was a major influence on Petzold, who, along with Angela Schanelec and Thomas Arslan, is generally considered to be part of the Berlin School.

While the Berlin School is often associated with a new turn towards realism and political cinema, Petzold's films, while they address issues of work and employment, also deal with conflicts between life and death. In Gespenster the protagonist leads a ghost-like existence.Petzold im Interview auf der Webpräsenz des Films Gespenster In Yella the protagonist is, possibly, already dead at the beginning of the film. These three films came to be called the "Gespenster Trilogy".: „Im Zwischenreich“

The 2008 film Jerichow was his fourth collaboration with Nina Hoss after Something to Remind Me (German: Toter Mann), Wolfsburg and Yella. The drama concerns a soldier who, having returned from Afghanistan to Prignitz, becomes involved in a relationship with a married woman. The movie was nominated in the main competition at the 65th Venice International Film Festival in 2008. In 2009, Petzold received a 'best director' nomination for the Deutscher Filmpreis award.Welt Online, 13. März 2009: „Deutscher Filmpreis: Die Nominierungen im Überblick“

Although more famous as a director of film and television, Petzold has also staged Arthur Schnitzler's The Lonely Way (German: Der einsame Weg) at the Deutsches Theater following an invitation by Oliver Reese. The drama, with Nina Hoss as protagonist, premiered on 14 March 2009.Frankfurter Rundschau, S-Ausgabe, vom 16. März 2009, Seite 21, und Deutsches Theater Berlin

Petzold's film Barbara competed in competition at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival and Petzold won the Silver Bear for Best Director. The film was selected as the German entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist. The film became Petzold's greatest box office success, grossing $4,129,250 worldwide.

Other activities In 2023, Petzold served on the official selection jury for the 71st San Sebastián International Film Festival, chaired by Claire Denis.Michael Rosser (8 September 2023), Claire Denis to head San Sebastian jury, Hayao Miyazaki to receive honorary award Screen Daily.

Political views In December 2023, alongside 50 other filmmakers, Petzold signed an open letter published in Libération demanding a ceasefire and an end to the killing of civilians amid the 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, and for a humanitarian corridor into Gaza to be established for humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages.

Filmography Feature films YearEnglish titleOriginal titleNotes2000The State I Am InDie innere SicherheitPart 1 of the "Ghosts" Trilogy2001Something to Remind MeToter Mann2003Wolfsburg2005GhostsGespensterPart 2 of the "Ghosts" Trilogy2007YellaPart 3 of the "Ghosts" Trilogy2008Jerichow2012BarbaraPart 1 of the "Love in Times of Oppressive Systems" Trilogy2014PhoenixPart 2 of the "Love in Times of Oppressive Systems" Trilogy2018TransitPart 3 of the "Love in Times of Oppressive Systems" Trilogy2020Undine2023AfireRoter Himmel2025Miroirs No. 3

Short films Year Title Credited as Notes Director Writer 1988 Ich arbeite alles ab... Ehrenwort! Short film 1990 Süden Documentary short; Also cinematographer and editor 1991 Ostwärts Documentary short; Also cinematographer 1992 The Warm Money Short film

Television + Television Year Title Credited as Notes Director Writer 1995 Pilots TV movie 1996 1998 2001 Something to Remind Me 2011 2015–18 Police call 110 TV series; 3 episodes

Accolades

Year Award Nominated work Category Result Ref. 2003Berlin International Film Festival Wolfsburg FIPRESCI Prize 2005 GespensterGolden Bear 2007 Yella 2012Barbara Silver Bear for Best Director Reader Jury of the "Berliner Morgenpost" 2018 TransitGolden Bear 2020Undine FIPRESCI Prize 2023Afire Golden Bear Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize 2012European Film AwardsBarbara Best Film People's Choice Award 2020 Undine Best Film 2000Venice Film Festival The State I Am In Cinema of the Present - Lion of the Year 2008 Jerichow Golden Lion

References

External links

'The Cinema of Identification Gets on My Nerves': An Interview with Christian Petzold, Cineaste 33.3 (summer 2008)